Curtain fixture



Sept. 6, 1938. D. T. GRAHAM 2,129,419

CURTAIN FIXTURE Filed Nov. 9, 1956 4 INVENTOR. Dal/1'0 T Graham 35% fizw' ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 6, 1938 PATENT OFFICE CURTAIN FIXTURE David. T. Graham, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Grover 0. Graham and George Graham Application November 9, 1936, Serial No. 109,821

9 Claims.

My invention relates to curtain fixtures and more particularly to curtain rollers and to movable sup-ports therefor.

Important objects of the invention are to provide sliding supports for curtain rollers that will not bind and at the same time provide a maximum of strength with a minimum of friction.

7 Other objects are to provide novel mountings for a coiled spring comprised in the invention,

to reduce the size of the fixture and to provide novel means for controlling the curtain roller also comprised in the invention.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several "views.

Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating an embodiment of my invention applied toa window frame (broken away in its lower portion).

Figure 2 is an enlarged, broken section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are still further enlarged sections taken on the lines 33 and 4'-4 respectively of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an elevation taken on the line 'I1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional view similar to Figure 6, but showing a modified construction.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the reference numeral 9 generally indicates a window frame, in which is hung a window sash l0. Mounted vertically on the upright members of 40 the window frame 9 are tracks l2 and I3. For

what is known as an outside mounting, oifset track members I4 are used. The off-set face members of the tracks are corrugated, as suggested at I5. Screws l8 fasten flanges I! of the 45 tracks on the outer face of the frame. In what is known as an inside mounting, angle bent flanges I8 are. fastened to inner faces of the frame by screws H).

The face members l5 are preferably corrugated 50 in either form, to stiffen the tracks, to reduce the amount of friction between the tracks and sliding brackets (hereinafter described), and to provide ornamentation.

A rod is rotatably mounted on lugs 2| which 5 are in turn fastened to the Window frame 9.

The rod has sections 22 and 23, the ends of which are slipped into a ferrule 24. It is believed clear without further illustration that pins may be used to fasten the ends of the sections 22 and 23 in the ferrule, as suggested at 25, whereby the rod 23 turns as a unit.

On sleeves 26 and 21 at the outer ends of the rod 20, are fastened spools 28 and 29, upon each of which tape 30 is wound. On a side face the spool 28 carries pivoted pawls 3|, as shown in Figure 3 and similar to those found at the end of the conventional curtain roller. The pawls 3| engage notches in a bearing 32, by which bearing the rod 23 is mounted on one of the lugs 2|. A bolt 33 pivotally mounts the other end of the rod 26 on the other lug 2|.

A central lug 34 supports the rod 20 at the ferrule 24. Surrounding the ferrule and also supported by the lug 34 is a tubular winding key 35. 38. A stop 39, integral with the lug 34, is engaged by either the abutment 31 or the abutment 38.

A helical spring 48 is coiled around the rod 29 between the spool 28 and the lug 34. One end of the spring is fastened to the rod (as indicated at 4|) and the other end is fastened to the winding key 35 by any suitable means.

The key has wings 36 and abutments 31 and n Thereby tension placed in the helical spring may be utilizedto wind the tapes 3!! upon the spools 28 and 29.

The key 35 is movable lengthwise in the lug 34, whereby the abutment 31 may be disengaged from the stop 39. Then by giving the key a onehalf circumferential turn, the abutment 38 may be brought into engagement with the stop 39, thus tightening or loosening the spring 40, depending upon the direction of rotation.

A curtain roller 43 is slidably supported on the tracks l2 and I3 thru the intermediary of sliding brackets 44 and 45 on the tracks 2 and 3 respectively. A curtain 46 is shown on the roller 43.

The brackets 44 and 45 are preferably stamped out of a single piece of metal. A lip 47 of each bracket is bent around the offset portions I 4 of the tracks. An apertured car 48 is bent out.- ward from each bracket 44 and 45, to support tips 43 on the curtain roller. A member 50 is spaced from the body of each of the brackets 44 and 45, whereby to provide a channel for each track. The member 53 is punched out, as indicated at 5| to receive the lower, looped end of each tape 33.

Pivoted pawls 52 and 53 of my improved curtain roller are not placed as pawls are placed in the ordinary curtain roller. The pawls point in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions with their teeth 54 and 55 disposed substantially diametrically opposite to each other. One or the other tooth, 54 or 55, engages a notch 56 in a pole 51 of the curtain roller. The pawls 52 and 53 might be termed positive and reverse pawls.

An advantage of my arrangement is that said pawls do not require as much time to operate, as in the case of ordinary curtain rollers. No trouble is experienced in getting the pawls in the present construction to move to their correct, desired positions, owing to their arrangement on the roller.

By placing the helical spring 40 on the outside of the rod 20, the diameter of the rod and the associated parts are reduced in size. It is also to be understood that the spring 40, the lugs 2| and 34, the spool 28, the rod section 22, the sleeve 26, the ferrule 24 and the winding key 35 constitute a unit and are made of a standard size. To fit the fixture to windows of different widths, the rod section 23 is cut the desired length, which is a comparatively simple adjustment and does not disturb said unit.

In the operation of the present invention, a slow downward pull on the curtain 46 causes the roller 43 to descend Without unwinding the curtain 46. A more rapid downward pull on the curtain 46 causes the curtain to unwind without lowering the roller. Thus by manipulation of the curtain alone, the curtain may be unrolled or the entire curtain roller lowered.

As in the case of an ordinary curtain roller, once the initial downward movement is effected either slowly or rapidly, a corresponding upward movement will cause the curtain roller to rise or cause the curtain to roll up respectively.

Adjustments in the tension of the spring 4!! are made by the winding key 35, as stated. The operation otherwise is believed to be clear from the foregoing description.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as the preferred embodiment of my invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit of my invention. I, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire to avail myself of all modifications which may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A curtain-supporting device comprising a pair of opposed brackets, a shaft journalled at its extremities in and extending transversely between the brackets, a plurality of drums mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith, means windably mounted on each of the drums and attached at its free end to the supported curtain, a tubular shell mounted rotatively on the shaft intermediate the ends thereof, an intermediate bracket disposed between the pair of brackets in lateral registration therewith and at its end portion apertured for journal-wise embracingly engaging the shell, means on the shell for releasably look ing the shell in the intermediate bracket, spring means at its one end mounted rigidly to the shell and at its other end mounted rigidly to the shaft, and means for optionally holding the shaft against rotation.

2. A curtain supporting device comprising a pair of opposed brackets, a shaft journalled at its extremities in and extending transversely between the brackets, a plurality of drums mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith, means windably mounted on each of the drums and attached at its free end to the supported curtain, a tubular shell mounted rotatively on the shaft intermediate the ends thereof, an intermediate bracket disposed between the pair of brackets in lateral registration therewith and at its end portion apertured for journal-wise embracingly engaging the shell, detent means formed rigidly on the intermediate bracket, and means on the shell selectively engageable with the detent means for releasably locking the shell in the intermediate bracket, spring means at its one end mounted rigidly to the shell and at its other end mounted rigidly to the shaft, and means for optionally holding the shaft against rotation.

3. A curtain supporting device comprising a pair of opposed brackets, a shaft journalled at its extremities in and extending transversely between the brackets, a plurality of drums mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith, means windably mounted on each of the drums and attached at its free end to the supported curtain, a tubular shell mounted rotatively on the shaft intermediate the ends thereof, an intermediate bracket disposed between the pair of brackets in lateral registration therewith and at its end portion apertured for journal-wise embracingly engaging the shell, means on the shell for releasably looking the shell in the intermediate bracket, helical spring means disposed concentrically about the shaft and at its one end mounted rigidly to the shell and at its other end mounted rigidly to the shaft, and means for optionally holding the shaft against rotation.

4. A curtain fixture comprising spaced endbrackets, a bracket disposed in the space between the end-brackets, a sectional shaft supported by the end-brackets, a ferrule joining the sections together, the ferrule being supported by the inbetween bracket, a coiled spring arranged between the in-between bracket and one of the endbrackets and connected to resist rotation of the shaft in one direction and to assist in its rotation in the opposite direction, a pair of opposed spools rigidly mounted on the extremities of the shaft for rotation therewith, means windably mounted on each of the spools and attached at its free end to the curtain, and means for optionally holding the shaft against rotation.

5. A curtain fixture comprising spaced endbrackets, a bracket disposed in the space between the end-brackets, a sectional shaft supported by the end-brackets, a ferrule joining the sections together, the ferrule being supported by the in-between bracket, a coiled spring arranged between the in-between bracket and one of the end-brackets and connected to resist rotation of the shaft in one direction and to assist in its rotation in the opposite direction, a pair of opposed spools rigidly mounted on the extremities of the shaft for rotation therewith, and means on a face of one of the spools for optionally locking the shaft against rotation in the brackets.

6. In a device of the character described, a slidable shade-supporting bracket comprising a U-shaped member having an upstanding shadeengaging ear struck out of one face thereof and bent outwardly from the member adjacent its bight and a marginal downwardly bent lip formed integrally with and transversely along the extremity of the face on which the ear is formed. '7. A curtain fixture comprising spaced endbrackets, a bracket disposed in the space between the end-brackets, a sectional shaft supported by the end-brackets, a ferrule joining the sections together, the ferrule being supported by the inbetween bracket, a coiled spring arranged between the in-between bracket and one of the endbrackets and connected to resist rotation of the shaft in one direction and to assist in its rotation in the opposite direction, a first pin mounted at its one end rotatably in one end of the shaft coaxially therewith and at its other end rigidly mounted in one of the end-brackets, and a second pin mounted at its one end rotatably in the other end of the shaft co -axially therewith and at its other end rigidly mounted in the other endbracket.

8. A curtain fixture comprising spaced endbrackets, a bracket disposed in the space between the end-brackets, a sectional shaft supported by the end-brackets, a ferrule joining the sections together, the ferrule being supported by the inbetween bracket, a coiled spring arranged between the in-between bracket and one of the end-brackets and connected to resist rotation of the shaft in one direction and to assist in its rotation in the opposite direction, a pair of opposed spools rigidly mounted on the extremities of the shaft for rotation therewith, a first pin mounted at its one end rotatably in one end of the shaft co-axially therewith and at its other end rigidly mounted in one of the end-brackets, a second pin mounted at its one end rotatably in the other end of the shaft co-axially therewith and at its other end rigidly mounted in the other endbracket, said second pin having a detent recess therein, and means on a face of one of the spools releasably engageable in the detent recess for optionally locking the shaft against rotation upon the pins.

9. In a device of the character described, a slidable shade-supporting bracket comprising a U-shaped member having first and second legs integrally connected by a bight portion, said first leg member being of greater length than the second leg member and having an upstanding shade-engaging ear struck out of the face thereof and bent outwardly therefrom adjacent the bight, and a marginal downwardly bent lip formed integrally with and transversely along the extremity of said first leg, said leg being greater in length than the perpendicular distance between the first and second legs and being spaced outwardly from the free extremity of the second leg.

DAVID T. GRAHAM. 

